Prophet
A prophet is a figure who communicates messages understood to come from God and directed toward a specific community and situation. Prophetic speech commonly addresses present behavior, social injustice, leadership failure, and communal responsibility. Prophets frequently act as lawyers or covenant enforcers, explaining the consequences of breaking established obligations between God and the people. Rather than predicting distant futures, they interpret current events and warn of outcomes tied to covenant loyalty or failure. Their authority comes from the claim to speak on God’s behalf, and their words function as warnings, corrections, and explanations meant to provoke change.
References
- Reiterer, Friedrich V., "The Influence of the Book of Exodus on Ben Sira" in Corley, Jeremy and Vincent Skemp (eds.) Intertextual Studies in Ben Sira and Tobit: Essays in Honor of Alexander A. Di Lella
- Johnson, Benjamin J. M., "Reading the Septuagint: The Hermeneutical Problem of a Translated Text" in Batovici, Dan (ed.) Authoritative Texts and Reception History: Aspects and Approaches
- Collins, John J., The Scepter and the Star: Messianism in Light of the Dead Sea Scrolls
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